China confirms detention of American for alleged espionage

Activist who knows the American said he disappeared after traveling to attend a conference
NOEL CELIS/AFP/Getty Images
China confirmed this Friday (12) the detention of an American citizen, an analyst at an investigation center specializing in Myanmar issues, for alleged espionage activities.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said that Beijing authorities "believe" that the American is involved in criminal matters, for alleged espionage activities that put China's national security at risk.
The representative of Chinese diplomacy did not specify the nature of the "coercive measures" that were applied to the American citizen, an expression that, in Chinese legal terminology, normally indicates that the person is not free to move.
Case one month after Trump's visit to Beijing
It is not common for Beijing to arrest an American citizen on allegations of national security. The case comes just a month after US President Donald Trump met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, as both countries seek to reset a tumultuous relationship.
A Burmese activist who knows the detained American said he disappeared on June 3 after traveling to Kunming, in China's Yunnan province, to attend a conference. The activist, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of government reprisal and arrest, said the suspect had visited China several times before.
Former student activist
The detained American was identified as Min Zin, a student activist during the 1988 uprising in Myanmar, a student-led movement that the government at the time suppressed with military force. He later obtained asylum in the US and American citizenship. According to the activist, he was not involved in any direct activism activities at the time.
Min Zin is a founding member of ISP-Myanmar, a think tank that in recent years has produced analyzes on Chinese foreign policy and trade with Myanmar, a country located on China's southwestern border. The think tank maintained regular exchanges with similar institutions in China and published works on topics such as exports of rare earths from Myanmar to the neighboring country.
Min Zin is also a doctoral candidate at the University of California, Berkeley.
The human rights organization Amnesty International demanded Min Zin's immediate release. "The circumstances surrounding Min Zin's mysterious arrest are extremely concerning, as is the apparent accusation of espionage," said Joe Freeman, a Myanmar researcher at the NGO.

Source: G1